Featured
Last news
UN nears landmark deal on combatting biopiracy
The fight against biopiracy -- plundering genetic resources and the traditional knowledge surrounding them -- could soon be based on an international treaty which is being finalised at negotiations that began on Monday.
Attacking birth control pills, US influencers push misinformation
US wellness influencers are increasingly targeting birth control pills, pushing their followers to abandon the contraceptives with false claims about infertility and low libido that researchers say leave them vulnerable to unintended pregnancies.
Pandemic talks extended as deadline passes
Countries trying to strike a landmark global agreement on handling future pandemics decided to keep negotiating for another fortnight after their deadline passed on Friday.
French, US drug firms team up for Covid-flu shot
French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi and struggling US rival Novavax announced Friday an alliance to sell a Covid vaccine and develop another that combines with a flu shot.
Low-cost MRI paired with AI produces high-quality results
A magnetic resonance imaging device built with off-the-shelf parts and paired with AI matched the performance of high-end MRI machines, according to a study published Thursday that could pave the way for greater access to the life-saving tools.
Romania opens first crowd-funded hospital
At Romania's new crowd-funded children's cancer hospital, one-year-old Eric Ivan eagerly walked up and down the corridor, his mother holding his hands to steady him.
Flood-hit Kenya reports dozens of cholera cases
The United Nations voiced concern on Wednesday after dozens of cases of cholera were reported in flood-stricken Kenya as the death toll from rain-related disasters surpassed 250.
Chinese mill blamed for turning Serbia village red with pollution
In the eight years since Chinese company HBIS bought a steel mill near the eastern Serbian city of Smederevo, locals say they have been plagued by heavy air pollution and thick red dust.
'Get this done', WHO chief tells pandemic accord talks
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Friday told countries negotiating a global agreement on handling future pandemics to "get this done", as they hit the half-way stage in last-ditch talks.
Uruguay's leftist icon Jose Mujica has cancer: doctor
Uruguay’s leftist ex-leader Jose Mujica, once known as the world's "poorest president" for giving away most of his salary and driving an old Volkswagen Beetle, will receive treatment for cancer of the esophagus, his doctor said Thursday.
Halle Berry confronts stigma around menopause
Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry joined a group of US senators on Thursday to announce new legislation that would provide tens of millions of dollars towards menopause research and education.
Unique venues heat up sauna scene in Sweden and Finland
Deep underground in a disused iron mine and under the bluish glow of a flashlight, a small crowd emerges from a sauna, steam rising off their bodies as they plunge into a crystal clear turquoise lake.
US to reclassify cannabis as low-risk drug, in major shift
US President Joe Biden's administration is set to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, a source said Tuesday -- a historic shift that would bring federal policy more in line with public opinion.
US panel recommends all women receive breast cancer screening from 40
Women should get screened for breast cancer every other year starting from the age of 40 to reduce their risk of dying from the disease, an influential US body recommended on Tuesday.
Philips settles US sleep machine cases for $1.1 billion
Dutch medical device maker Philips said Monday it had reached a $1.1 billion deal to settle US lawsuits over faulty sleep machines that have dogged the company.
Last chance for global pandemic agreement talks
Countries returned to the negotiating table Monday for one last push to conclude an international agreement on how to handle future pandemics, with the most likely outcome being a slimmed-down accord that shelves some of the thorniest issues.
Last chance for pandemic agreement talks
Countries return to the negotiating table on Monday for one last push on concluding a pandemic agreement, now in slimmed-down form with some of the thorniest aspects stripped out and shelved.
Biden stalls on menthol cigarette ban fearing Black vote backlash
President Joe Biden's government on Friday said it was taking more time to consider a ban on menthol cigarettes, amid fears it could alienate Black voters in a tough election year.
US approves gene therapy treatment for hemophilia
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has received US approval for a gene therapy against a form of hemophilia, a rare and inherited blood clotting disorder, the company said Friday.
Nestle sales slump on weak North America demand for frozen food
Swiss food giant Nestle reported slimmer sales than expected in the first quarter on Thursday, weighed down by weak demand for frozen pizza and snacks in North America.
French national library quarantines 'poisonous' books
France's national library said Thursday it had removed four 19th-century books from its shelves whose emerald green covers were likely laced with highly poisonous arsenic.
France records growing number of supercentenarians
The number of people in France living beyond 110 years is growing fast, the national demographic studies institute said Wednesday, with women dominating the supercentenarian contest.
Thai trans people push to be 'truly' accepted
Stethoscope over her white coat, Thai doctor Kachisarah Sridakhot walks hospital corridors hoping to beat a path for other trans women to be fully accepted in the kingdom.
Biden admin issues rule protecting abortion privacy
President Joe Biden's administration announced a new rule Monday to protect the privacy of women who go out of their home state to have legal abortions, amid fears they could be prosecuted upon their return.
Belgian whose body brews alcohol beats drink-driving rap
A Belgian man with a very rare metabolic condition that causes his body to produce alcohol had a drink-driving charge against him dismissed in court on Monday.
Japan doctors sue Google Maps over 'punching bag' reviews
Around 60 doctors in Japan have accused Google Maps of ignoring vitriolic reviews of their clinics in a class-action lawsuit touted as the first of its kind.
UK parliament debates law phasing out smoking
The UK parliament on Tuesday kicked off its first debate on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's planned flagship legislation to prevent young people from smoking, despite opposition from many in his own Conservative Party.
Big money flows to US charities fueling vaccine misinformation
An anti-vaccine group founded by US presidential contender Robert F. Kennedy Jr raised millions of dollars during the coronavirus pandemic, tax records show, boosting its coffers as it ramped up what experts call dangerous health misinformation.
Waste not want not: Peruvian drive to feed more with less
Peruvian cook Isabel Santos prepares a salad with carrot peels and pea shells at a community kitchen in Lima; a disciple of a sustainable cuisine movement seeking to tackle hunger and food waste at the same time.
Ballet star and survivor Steven McRae says dance must change
After an almost super-human recovery from an injury, star dancer Steven McRae says the ballet world must take much better care of its artists.
Israel urges Iran sanctions as world warns against escalation
World powers urged restraint on Sunday for fear that Iran's unprecedented missile and drone strikes on Israel could spark a wider war in the Middle East, as the United Nations heard a call for new sanctions against Tehran.
World urges restraint after Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel
World leaders urged restraint on Sunday after Iran launched an unprecedented wave of missiles and attack drones against its arch foe Israel overnight, at a time the Gaza war has inflamed Middle East tensions.